Topic: Is there a way to not draw attention to what you think are your big MTF hands?

[ChrissyRyan]

I have found it fascinating that some ladies here have said that their hands have actually shrunk.
Not only that, but their feet have shrunk, their waists have shrunk, muscles have shrunk, shoulder width has shrunk, arm diameter has shrunk, that they have lost height, and their penises have shrunk.

As women tend to be smaller than men, I wonder if MTF HRT is simply working to transform the male body to the female body in more ways than simply adding curves, breasts, and wider hips.

So, getting back to the hands, maybe with HRT over time they are likely to get smaller... although maybe not as petite as those of the “average” cis-woman?

Chrissy

[Linde]

I have found it fascinating that some ladies here have said that their hands have actually shrunk.
Not only that, but their feet have shrunk, their waists have shrunk, muscles have shrunk, shoulder width has shrunk, arm diameter has shrunk, that they have lost height, and their penises have shrunk.

As women tend to be smaller than men, I wonder if MTF HRT is simply working to transform the male body to the female body in more ways than simply adding curves, breasts, and wider hips.

So, getting back to the hands, maybe with HRT over time they are likely to get smaller... although maybe not as petite as those of the “average” cis-woman?

Chrissy

What makes hands, arms, and feet smaller is the loss of long fiber muscles that are created by testosteron, but not supported by estrogen.  Which means, we are loosing muscle mass, and along with it, we are getting a little bit smaller.

I will not be any dramatic size difference,  for me it was about one clothing size in the shoulders, from 16 to 18 down to 14 to 16.  Pant size went down one size, too, and shoes probably 1/2 size.  I don't know about my hands.  We do not wear gloves her, and I can't try those for sizing.  What I also realized, the definitely pronounced muscles of my upper arms ere disappearing, and  were giving room to the less defined look of female upper arms.

All in all, estrogen did a pretty good job in making me fully into a woman!

[DawnOday]

Try wearing bangles and rings. Not sure if it makes hands smaller, but my hands and arms feel much sexier.

[Allie Jayne]

Try wearing bangles and rings. Not sure if it makes hands smaller, but my hands and arms feel much sexier.

Dawn, I have found that my larger hands make my arms appear too long, and any interruption, like a watch or bracelet. helps break up this appearance. I have read we shouldn't wear flashy things or nail colours which draw attention to our hands, but I want too.....

Allie

[Maid Marion]

At some point maybe you shouldn't care so much and just wear what you want. 

Context is important.  You may be able to vary what  you wear depending on what you intend to do that day.

Marion

[ChrissyRyan]

Dawn, I have found that my larger hands make my arms appear too long, and any interruption, like a watch or bracelet. helps break up this appearance. I have read we shouldn't wear flashy things or nail colours which draw attention to our hands, but I want too.....

Allie

Sometimes I like to wear tops with long sleeves, but with the kind that if you roll up you see a pattern or flowers on the other side of the cuff area - what you would not see if you did not roll up the cuff or sleeve.  This adds some eye appeal and it directs attention away from the hands.

Chrissy

[Oldandcreaky]

My hands are not really big, a medium male glove size.  I know women who have bigger hand.  What I found that makes them look smaller is to have long fingernails painted.  These make your fingers looking longer, and change the proportion of your hands, and they appear to be smaller.

Long fingernails do feminize as they make the fingers look thinner. I used to enjoy them, but my flowers come before my hands and gardening means no fancy hands.

[jamievjohnson]

So my experience, I have a huge wide octave+fifth spanning piano hands on a 6ft frame, with large shoulder/upper arm muscles.  1. You WILL BE SURPISED how well RED nail color on healthy naturally long nails looks.  By naturally long, I mean, the whites are extended between 1/8 and 1/4", which protrudes beyond the tip of the finger by 3/16" or so.  Nail strength is an issue for me at this length as well.  I use a 4-5 layer fingernail polish routine.  Layer 1 OPI Nail Strengthener, Layer 2-4 Opi color of choice, I've done reds, eggplants, and pinks (all with built in tiny sparkles, so not flat mat colors).  I use OPI Nail Strengthener for a top layer as well.  Let each layer dry a minimum of 15 minutes before the next, and NEVER brush an area twice after it has had a few seconds to penetrate, because you'll cause a mess with the sub layers and air bubbles.  Reds make my whole hand look VERY long and narrow without any special gesturing.  I like eggplants because of all the burgundy clothes I have, and pinks make me feel young and flirty.
How to cut your nails...
cut them with a slight round out from the quick, but also cut the corners (1/8" worth) in a sharp taper to the quick/edge corner, and round the overall shape.  This does me 2 things, I stopped getting ingrowing sides (long nails like to curl sideways), I also had better feminine nail shape (it really imitates the fake nails you see in the store). 

With that nail shape, and multiple layers with hardener coats, my nails have been able to put up with soo much more stresses before bending, or breaking.  I know it is the benefit of the nail strengthening formula, because when the colors do chip too far, the exposed long nails tend to start tearing again.

jvj

[ChrissyRyan]

So my experience, I have a huge wide octave+fifth spanning piano hands on a 6ft frame, with large shoulder/upper arm muscles.  1. You WILL BE SURPISED how well RED nail color on healthy naturally long nails looks.  By naturally long, I mean, the whites are extended between 1/8 and 1/4", which protrudes beyond the tip of the finger by 3/16" or so.  Nail strength is an issue for me at this length as well.  I use a 4-5 layer fingernail polish routine.  Layer 1 OPI Nail Strengthener, Layer 2-4 Opi color of choice, I've done reds, eggplants, and pinks (all with built in tiny sparkles, so not flat mat colors).  I use OPI Nail Strengthener for a top layer as well.  Let each layer dry a minimum of 15 minutes before the next, and NEVER brush an area twice after it has had a few seconds to penetrate, because you'll cause a mess with the sub layers and air bubbles.  Reds make my whole hand look VERY long and narrow without any special gesturing.  I like eggplants because of all the burgundy clothes I have, and pinks make me feel young and flirty.
How to cut your nails...
cut them with a slight round out from the quick, but also cut the corners (1/8" worth) in a sharp taper to the quick/edge corner, and round the overall shape.  This does me 2 things, I stopped getting ingrowing sides (long nails like to curl sideways), I also had better feminine nail shape (it really imitates the fake nails you see in the store). 

With that nail shape, and multiple layers with hardener coats, my nails have been able to put up with soo much more stresses before bending, or breaking.  I know it is the benefit of the nail strengthening formula, because when the colors do chip too far, the exposed long nails tend to start tearing again.

jvj

Thanks for the nail cutting and shaping advice.

Chrissy

[Maid Marion]

A compromise if you are hard on you hands is to use quick dry nail polish like expressie for special occasions. 

Marion

[DebbieB]

There are things you can do to create a little (pardon the pun) slight of hand.
Making you fingers longer by getting acrylic nails is a great way to make your finger look long and slender, and use of a metallic or sparkly nail polish diverts attention from your hands to your fingertips.  I frequently get compliments on my nails from women who don't even notice that they are too big to wear closed bracelets.

A ring with a solitaire zirconium on the ring finger of the left hand is a good way to reduce the number of unwanted advantages from men who don't understand the meaning of no.  If you want advances, wear it on the right ring finger, which suggests that you are probably divorced.  Just replace it before it discolors your finger.

A watch on the left hand and a bracelet on the right hand can also create a more feminine appearance and again, draws attention away from the heel of your hand, which is the most obviously large part.


I'm seeing some questionable claims about the impacts of Estrogen on the body.  Estrogen WILL help redistribute fat on the face and increase the size of the fanny, making the hips appear larger, but it will NOT make bones shrink.  Many MTF women are more aware of their bodies and therefore want to make the effort to maintain an attractive figure but the Estrogen alone won't be enough.  If you had a beer belly before you started transition it will stay there unless you do the exercises necessary to get rid of it.  Similarly, if you lose weight, you will also lose weight in your feet as well as your waist and thighs.  The upper body strength will wane, but without proper diet and exercise, it's just as easy to end up with flabby arms or "wings".

In fact, if you need to lose weight, it's a good idea to do it during Real Life Experience but BEFORE you start hormones, because when you first start estrogen you will probably have cravings for carbs, especially flour and sugar.  Plan on taking walks at night as a girl, at least a mile or so, and on the weekends consider going to an LGBTQ friendly club to do some dancing.  Take some aerobic dance classes such as Jazzercize or Zumba.  Those moves go over quite well in the clubs.

[ChrissyRyan]

Thank you Debbie.

Chrissy

[ChrissyRyan]

Perhaps with nice nail polish and jewelry you would not mind if someone looked at your big hands or would not be as up tight about it. They are big though, there is no way I know to make them smaller.

Perhaps this is something along the lines of one thinking she has a big nose or some other flaw?

Chrissy

[ChrissyRyan]

Bangles and bracelets seem to help.  This may at first appear to be counterintuitive, as these are worn not far from the hands.  But they can become a focal point. 

Just do not have them around when operating some machinery or using some tools!


Chrissy

[Battle Goddess]

I talk with my hands to the extent that I p much can't speak without using gestures. Never noticed anyone staring curiously at them while they're waving around. I surmise that people are focusing on the overall gesture instead.